How is the “WildTrip Brazil” App doing? Some first-hand experiences…

Last December, I uploaded “Wild Trip Brazil”, my first own app for iPhones and iPads, to the iTunes app stores allover the world. The app includes 300 high-quality photos of Brazil’s most important sites (from Rio to the Pantanal), personal travel stories, integrated maps, social sharing, and some other neat features – something like a virtual coffee table book. I didn’t expect it to become a blockbuster: It’s focused on one destination only, and it is something you enjoy and might wanna use to get inspired for your next trip, but you don’t necessarily need it. The photos were stored on my hard disc anyways, copy text could be pulled from my recent book (in agreement with my publisher Malik/National Geographic), and some friends and colleagues helped with editing, design and programming.

Nonetheless, the app did fairly well right after its release. It hit the Top 100 in the iTunes travel category in several countries. It was featured by Apple in the “What’s new?” section on iTunes (see photo above, in the upper right-hand corner). And it got excellent reviews in many countries, e.g. 15 five-star ratings and some great comments in Germany. This motivated us to constantly improve the app: We’ll upload the first upgrade next week, with an improved user interface, a new, more colorful logo and some other improvements.

We now stand at several thousand downloads from all around the world, many of them paid, but a big chunk downloaded for free during our carneval and ITB travel exhibitition specials. Currently, we’re in talks with several publishers and travel destinations that might use the technical framework of the app and adjust it to their needs and corporate identity. If you’re interested, check out our ITB presentation on Scribd or write us at robert.jacobi@nunatak.com and felix.zeltner@nunatak.com. Also, if you want to check out the app – it runs at a reduced price tag until the end of this week.